The risk of an armed confrontation between Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance is increasing, as evidenced by the situation in the Baltic region, which “through the joint efforts of NATO has been transformed into a zone of military rivalry. About this Izvestia declared Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Alexander Grushko.
“The risks, unfortunately, are increasing. Everyone understands that. If we look at the development of the security situation in the Baltic region in recent years, this is just a very good example of how the region, the most calm militarily and politically, thanks to the joint efforts of the ‘NATO, has been transformed into a military rivalry zone,’ said the deputy head of the department.
According to Grushko, after the Baltic states joined the alliance, NATO began to “systematically turn this quieter region into a zone of increased military activity”. Additionally, NATO fighters began intercepting Russian civilian and military aircraft, after which “it just kept going and it was gone”, he said.
The Deputy Minister noted that Russia is very concerned about this development. “By the way, this concern was shared by many countries of the alliance,” he added.
Ministry of Defense of Russia the day before reported that airspace control assets over the Baltic Sea detected an air target approaching the Russian border. To identify it, a Su-27 fighter was lifted into the air, which identified the target as a German Navy R-3C Orion base patrol aircraft.
The department added that no violation of Russia’s borders was permitted. After the foreign aircraft turned around, the Su-27 returned to its base airfield.
Similar incident arrived over the Baltic Sea on March 20. Then the Russian Defense Ministry noticed two US Air Force B-52N strategic bombers. A Su-35 fighter jet took off and returned to the airfield when foreign planes flew from the Russian border.
On April 4, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that Finland had become a member of NATO. With the entry of the country into the alliance, the length of the borders more than doubled. The Russian Foreign Ministry has already promised take retaliatory measures “both military-technical and of a different nature”.
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